The U.S. military used a laser this week to shoot down three drones on the U.S.-Mexico border, allegedly operated by drug cartels, the Pentagon on Thursday.
The three unmanned aircraft were shot down between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning using a “Army’s High Energy Multi-Use Laser System,” according to the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), responsible for overseeing certain military defense operations in North America.
The drones were shot down by the U.S. Army’s Southern Border Joint Task Force, a unit of the USNORTHCOM, which did not specify the exact location of the downing or to which cartels it is believed they belonged. No details were provided about the operation.
Asked whether the drones were shot down in U.S. or Mexican airspace, a USNORTHCOM spokesman told CBS News that “the shootings were carried out in coordination with all partners operating along the border. Due to operational security reasons and ongoing operations against cartels and drones, we do not have more details at the moment.”
Counter Drone Technology?#JTF_SB personnel used the #Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) system to engage and defeat three hostile UAS. ?Read more: https://t.co/l8Ccuq91Zu@usnortherncmd @DeptofWar @SecWar@SeanParnellASW #ArdentVanguard pic.twitter.com/PIq7COYxDi
According to the U.S. Northern Command, the drones were considered “hostile” because they participated in activities that posed a physical threat to U.S. military personnel and the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP).
“Cartel networks are increasingly using unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human trafficking and actively spy on our staff and our law enforcement partners,” said Division General Curtis Taylor, commander of the Joint Task Force on the Southern Border.
“By integrating layered countermeasures along with advanced targeted energy capabilities, such as this laser system, we have made it clear that we will not tolerate hostile surveillance,” he added.
Austin Doctor, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska in Omaha and director of strategic initiatives at the National Centre for Innovation, Technology and Education to Combat Terrorism, told CBS News that cartels mainly use drones near the border for surveillance purposes to support their criminal activities, such as smuggling narcotics, people, firearms and other illicit goods.
Doctor noted that the cartels have not used armed drones inside the United States, but they use them in Mexico to attack rival cartels.
